Shoe-lacer.



J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAGER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.22, 1910.

. Patnted May 2, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

ammo v James 11720711416 J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAUER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1910.

' Elma/who;

. James J Thomas Q/VH nmo 4 J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAGER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1910.

991,251. Patented May 2,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

16 zz 9 ,f l ZZ fly. i0 ZZ- [1 Z8 [1 n I H u 12 [1 f 2.2 2% l of O 22 uE65? 7 Waging J6 76 H I Hi I 1 P u 1'1 H u [I [I [12111 I A i flg Z1 111 i 1: ,1 01 u 22 H I 1! f U [l H [I vision of JAMES J. "THOMAS, orWHITING, IOWA.

SHOE-LACER.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES J. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Whiting, in the county of Monona and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lacers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to a shoe fastener, and more particularly to theclass of shoe lacers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a lacer of thischaracter in which a shoe ma be readily and quickly laced and unlaced asthe occasion requires, thus obviating the necessity of the use ofeyelets and a shoe string or lacing threaded therethrough.

Another object of the invention is the proa lacer in which the lacingvent in a shoe may be closed and fastened in a single operation and whenfastened prevented against accidental opening, the lacer beingadjustable to permit proper fitting of the shoe-upper about the instepof a wearer.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a lacer in which aseries of clasps or fastenings may be automatically engaged ordisengaged for the lacing and unlacing of the shoe.

Ast-ill further object of the invention is the provision of a lacer ofthis character which is simple, ready and convenient in operation, anddurable and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fullyhereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andpointed out in the hereunto appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe of theordinary const-ruc- I tion with the lacer connected therewithconstructed in acbordance with the invention, the shoe being shownlaced. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shoe showing the inventionapplied and the same being in open position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryenlarged transverse sectional view through the .upper and a portion ofthe lacer. Fig. 4 is an en larged longitudinal sectional view throughthe lacer and adjacent parts of the shoeupper. Fig. 5 is an enlargedvertical sectional view through one of the members of the lacer showingin detail the means for sustaining the slider against movement.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 22, 1910. Serial No. 588,496.

. through the Patented May 2, 1911 Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspectiveView of the slide. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view same.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the shoe is of the ordinary wellknown construction com rising a body 10 having an upper 11, the atterbeing provided with the usual vent and at opposite sides of which arearranged the ordinary flaps 12. Connected with the shoe body 10 andadapted to underlie the flaps 12 is the usual tongue 1.3, the flaps 12being reinforced at their inner faces by means of leather strips 14,which are stitched or otherwise secured thereto in any suitable manner.Suitably formed between the reinforcing strips 14 and the upper 11 atthe flaps thereof, is a channel 15 the same extending entirely aroundthe rent in the shoe-upper and o ens through the upper edge of thelatter. ithin this vent is loosely mounted a flexible cord orstring 16,the same being formed from any suitable durable material, preferablyhorse hair, and is designed for a purpose as will be hereinafter more'fully described.

The fastener or lacer comprises a series of hollow tubular members 17and 18, the members 18 being provided with down-turned hooks 19, thelatter being adapted to detachably engage in an opening 20- formed inthe members 17. The members 17 and 18 areeach formed with a centrallaterally extending flat wing 21, the same being slidably fitted betweenthe reinforcing strips 14 and the upper ll at the flaps 12 thereof andthe free ends of the said wings 21 are provided with eyelets 22, theloosely engaged with the string 16 so that on bringing ta it of thestring in the channel 15, these members 17 and 18 will be held close tothe flaps 1 2, and on the slackeningof the string 16 the said eyeletsmay be permitted to be spaced from the said flaps 12, thereby decreasingand increasing the size ofthe shoe-upper, thus enabling it to properlyfit the instep of the wearer of the shoe.

Mounted for sliding engagement with the members 17 and 18 is a slider orrider member comprising diverging sleeve portions '23, the same beingjoined by an intermediate webbing 24, and these sleeve portions beingslitted, as at 25, in their concave s1des for latter being the freetraverse thereof on the members 17 and 18. The slits 25 are designed toreceive the wings 21 and allow the sleeve portions 23 to pass to eitherside of the same. This rider or slide when traversing the members 17 and18 toward the upper edge of the upper 11 of the shoe causes the saidmembers 17 and 18 to approach each other and bring the hooks 19 on themember 18 into engagement in the opening 20 in the member 17 therebylocking the members together for the closing and fastening of the ventin the shoe-upper. It will be obvious that when a pulling action isexerted upon the flaps 12 to separate the same at the upper edge of theupper, the rider or slider will be caused to traverse downwardly uponthe members 17 and 18, thus disengaging the hooks 19 from the openings20, and the simultaneous separation of the members for the opening ofthe vent in the shoe-upper.

In the member 17 contiguous the upper edge of the upper is mounted acatch device comprising a leaf spring 26, one end of which being fixedinteriorly of said member and its opposite end provided with a beveledlocking head 27, the same normally protruded through a suitable openingin the member 17 so as to lie in the path of movement of the rider orslide to sustain the same against sliding movement when in position atthe top of the shoe-upper. -However, upon' depressing the catch head 27inwardly within the member 17, the slide or rider is free to movedownwardly upon the members 17 and 18 for the unlocking and opening ofthe vent in the shoe-upper. Upon the upward movement of the slide orrider upon the members 17 and 18 it will engage the beveled face of thecatch head 27 and cause the automatic displacement thereof inwardlywithin the member 17 so as not to interfere with the upward movement ofthe slide or rider to the top of the upper of the shoe and also topermit the catch device to engage with the slide or rider for looking itat the top of the upper when the vent has been closed and fastened.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction and operation ofthe invention is made clear and comprehensive and therefore a moreextended explanation has been omitted.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new is 1. Thecombination with a shoe having a gap in its body, up-flaps formed atopposite sides of the gap, reinforcing strips fixed to the gap a channelbeing formed between said flap and its reinforcing strip, an adjustable'flexible member loosely mounted within the channel, interlocking membershaving loose connection .'with the flexible member and provided withwings slidably held between the flaps and reinforcing strips, and meansfor brlnging the interlocking members into and out of engagement witheach other.

2. The combination with a shoe having an opening in its body, of anadjustable flexible member embedded within the body, interlockingmembers each having a wing slidably fitted within the body at the edgeof the gap and loosely connected with the flexible member, and a riderslidable on the interlocking members for automatically locking andunlocking the same.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of-two witnesses.

JAMES J. THOMAS. Witnesses: i

J. W. GATES, N. L. SHARP.

